Turkey blames US envoy for worsening ties and says it won't buy US guns

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has lashed out at the United States, saying Washington is "sacrificing ties" by supporting its ambassador to Turkey amid a diplomatic spat.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a ceremony in Istanbul, Turkey, August 25, 2017.
Thomson Reuters

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has lashed out at the United States, saying Washington is "sacrificing ties" by supporting its ambassador to Turkey amid a diplomatic spat.

Erdogan said: "It is unacceptable for America to sacrifice a strategic partner like Turkey for an impertinent ambassador."

He also slammed Washington for providing arms to Kurdish fighters in Syria, whom Turkey considers terrorists, while blocking the sale of U.S.-made weapons to Turkish security personnel.

He said Thursday that Turkey would retaliate by canceling plans to supply its police force with American guns.

Turkey arrested a Turkish national working for the American Consulate in Istanbul, leading the U.S. to suspend issuing visas at its missions in Turkey.

Erdogan also accused holdovers from the Obama administration of obstructing the Trump administration's relations with Turkey.

Turkish relations with countries in Europe and the NATO defense alliance have also been strained in recent months, particularly after it was revealed that Turkey planned to buy Russia's advanced S-400 missile-defense system.